Automatic grain-scales



(No Model.)

0. M. MORSE. AUTOMATIC GRAIN SCALE.

Patented July 8, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORVILLE M. MORSE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC G RAI N-S'CALES.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,703, dated July8, 1890.

' 7 Application filed July 2, 1889. Serial No. 316,282. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORvILLE M. MoRsnna citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Scales, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of automatic scales which are usedfor weighing grain and similar substances or material, and which areprovided with a rotative wheel containing buckets and mounted in ascalebeam underneath the supply-hopper, so that the material flows fromthe hopper into the bucket underneath the hopper until theweight of thematerial delivered into the bucket preponderates, when the bucket-wheeldescends, and thereby releases itself and makes a partial revolutionsufficient to discharge the material from. the filled bucket and bringthe next succeeding empty bucket underneath the hopper.

The principal object of my inventionis to improve the devices wherebythe rotative bucket-wheel is locked and released, so that the wheel ispositively locked against further rotation at the end of every partialrevolution, thereby preventing the wheel from making more than onepartial revolution upon the filling and discharging of one bucket.

My invention has the further object to improve the scale in otherrespects, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of anautomatic scale provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section showing thelocking bolt released.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the stationary frame of the scale; B, the scale-beammounted on said frame in any suitable manner and provided with a weightb; O, the bucket-wheel pivoted in the arms of the inner open orloopshaped portion of the scale-beam, and D the feed-hopper arrangedabove the bucket-wheel.

d is a valve which is hung at the mouth of the feed-hopper and providedwith a laterally-extending arm 6, the weight of which tends to hold thevalve closed. The bucketwheel is provided with radial partitions f,which are, secured to the heads F F of the wheel and divide the wheelinto buckets g.

H is a locking-bolt, by which the wheel is locked in position againstfurther rotation at the end of every partial revolution, and which iscapable of Vertical movement in a guide h, secured to the side of thefeed-hopper.

I is a locking-pawl, which engages in a notch or groove t' in the boltH, and holds the latter in an elevated position. This lockingpawl ispivoted to a lugj on the feed-hopper above the locking-bolt and isprovided with an actuating-arm J, which extends downwardly over thebucket-wheel.

L represents a series of cams secured to the bucket-wheel equal innumber to the number of buckets and each terminating at its raised endin a projecting stop Z, which is adapted to engage against thelocking-bolt H.

K represents a detent-pawl, by which the bucket-wheel is prevented fromturning backward. This pawl is attached to the front portion of thescale-beam adjacent to the bucket-wheel and adapted to engage with the 1stops Z thereof; but it may be constructed and arranged in anyothersuitable manner.

In the position of the parts represented in Fig. 1 the wheel is lockedin position by one of the stops Z acting against the locking-bolt H. Thevalve d at the mouth of the hopper is held open by its arm 6 beingraised by the rear partition f of the bucket which is receiving thegrain. The locking-bolt H is in its elevated position, in which it isheld by the locking-pawl I, engaging in the groove t' of the bolt. Thelocking-pawl is held in engagement with said groove by the weight of thedepending actuating-arm J, which clears the adjacent stop Z of the wheelin this position. When the upperbucket has received the quantity ofgrain which balances and slightly overcomes the weight on the scalebeam, the bucket-wheel descends with the inner portion of thescale-beam, thereby causing the valve-arm e to descendv also and thevalve to close. The downward movement of the bucket-wheel continuesuntil the stop Z resting against the locking-bolt clears the latter,when the bucket-wheel turns in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1,causing the discharge of the material from the loaded bucket. Vhen thebucket-wheel begins to turn, the stop Z, adjacent to the actuating-arm Jof the locking-pawl I, swings this arm outward and withdraws the pawlfrom the notch of the locking-bolt, allowing the latter to descend uponthe depressed portion of the cam L in rear of the stop Z, as representedin Fig. The descent of the bolt may be aeeelarated by a spring m. Thebucket-wheel continues its rotative movement with the bolt resting onthe cam, which latter gradually elevates the bolt until its groovecoincides with the end of the locking-pawl, when the pawl enters thegroove and again locks the pawl in its elevated position.

The locking-bolt bearing upon the cam d uring the rotative movement ofthe bucketwheel retards the motion of the wheel and prevents unduespeed. This pressure upon the cam is increased by the spring bearingupon the locking-bolt. The pressure of the locking-pawl against thelocking-bolt also retards the movement of the wheel.

The locking-bolt is dropped below its locking-position when released andthen again raised to its locking position, which latter is reached justbefore the stop comes in contact with the bolt, whereby the bolt isbrought in contact with the wheel long before the stop strikes the bolt,thereby preventing the stop from passing by the bolt and the scale frommissing a bucket.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the scale-beam and therotative bucket-wheel provided with stops and cams in front of saidstops, of a movable locking-bolt against which said stops engage andwhich is elevated to its locking position by said cams, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination, with the scale-beam and the rotative bucket-wheelprovided with stops, of a locking-bolt and a locking-pawl by which thebolt is held and released, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the scale-beam and the rotative bucket-wheelprovided with stops, of a locking-bolt and a locking-pawl provided withan actuating-arm, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the scale-beam and the rotative wheel mountedon the same and provided with stops, of a locking-bolt against whichsaid stops engage and which is capable of downward movement in thedirection in which the wheel is depressed by the load, cams whereby thebolt is elevated after it has passed below its normal position, and apawl whereby the bolt is held in its normal position, substantially asset forth.

ORVILLE M. MORSE.

\Vitness my hand this 25th day of J une,

